Tayler Sanderson

Tayler is one of our Clinical Research Assistants assisting with our Genetics of Giftedness and Twice-Exceptionality research here in the Michaelson Lab. A University of Iowa alumna, she graduated in spring 2022 with a BS in psychology, a BA in biology, and a minor in environmental sciences. Since graduating, Tayler has worked as a project manager for an environmental testing company, but is now excited to delve into the world of research as she pursues graduate school.

Grace Kim

Grace Kim is an INSPIRE postdoctoral fellow in Psychiatry. In the Michaelson lab, she applies computational genomics to investigate the genetic underpinnings of neurodevelopmental disorders, with a current emphasis on sleep issues in autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

Muhammad Elsadany

Muhammad's journey with the lab began with a deep-seated interest in mental health conditions. As he immersed himself in the research environment, he realized the importance of understanding neurodiversity more deeply. This newfound awareness fueled his dedication to unraveling the intricate links between genetics, cognition, and mental health.

Armed with a degree in Computational Biology and Genomics from the University of Science and Technology, Zewail City, Egypt, Muhammad embarked on a quest to unravel the complexities of the human mind.

Madison Trog

Maddy is from Minnesota and graduated from Winona State University in 2020 with her BA in Psychology and a minor in Spanish. 

Maddy's love for research began when she was an undergraduate research assistant for 2 years in college where she researched fetal alcohol syndrome presented in mice. 

In her free time, Maddy likes to travel (shes been to 13 countries!!), spend time outdoors, play violin and read. Maddy is currently attending graduate school at UIowa for School Psychology.

Sydney Kramer

Sydney graduated from the University of North Dakota with her BS in Psychology and a minor in Biology. She helped coordinate SPARK recruitment efforts during her time as a research assistant, and also researched the relationship between creativity and psychopathology. 

Sydney is currently in graduate school studying psychiatric and behavioral genetics. In her free time, Sydney enjoys traveling, baking and listening to podcasts.

Lucas Casten

Lucas joined the lab as a graduate student from the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics in 2021, after previously working in the lab as a clinical research assistant. He is broadly interested in the genetic variation that makes us all so unique. As a result, his research projects focus on: language ability, risk for psychiatric conditions, and their shared biological underpinnings.

He graduated from Cornell College with a BA in Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience. Much of his free time is spent watching sci-fi movies and exploring the Midwest.

Camilla Strathearn

Camilla is one of our Clinical Research Assistants here at the Michaelson Lab. In 2020 she graduated from BYU-Hawaii with her BS in Psychology (Clinical/Counseling Track), and has since gained experience working in the realm of social work and wilderness therapy. Here in the lab, Camilla coordinates study recruitment, administering assessments, and data management for our Genetics of Giftedness and Twice-Exceptionality research.

In her free time, Camilla enjoys cycling down hills, carving wood into spoons, and spending time with friends and her cats. 

Annie Gleason

Annie joined the lab in May 2023 as a graduate student from the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Genetics. She is broadly interested in different computational methods available to study genetic data. Her research focuses on leveraging machine learning techniques to increase our understanding of psychiatric health.

Annie graduated with a BS in Bioinformatics from Brigham Young University in 2022. In her free time, Annie enjoys baking, reading, and saving Hyrule.

Ethan Bahl

Ethan's work in the Michaelson lab focuses on developing DNA sequence-based deep learning models. Ethan is applying these models to understand how neurons and brain circuits are shaped through development and experience. Through collaborations between Dr. Michaelson and Dr. Abel of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute, Ethan aims to bridge research on the molecular mechanisms of memory to human psychiatric health. Outside of his academic pursuits, he enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors. Ethan grew up on a farm in Dubuque, Iowa, and earned a B.S. in Biology from the University of Iowa.

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